Marine Mammal Response

World Vets provides veterinary support for marine mammal stranding events in the state of Washington, working in collaboration with the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA Fisheries), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), Cascadia Research Collective and other stranding networks in the state of Washington. Cases are referred to us through multiple stranding networks in Washington. Our response area includes over 500 miles of Pacific coastline and inland waters of the Salish Sea. World Vets headquarters is strategically located in the maritime city of Gig Harbor, Washington which is centrally located to areas that have a high incidence of marine mammal stranding cases. Since 2017, World Vets has been providing veterinary support for marine mammal stranding cases involving a wide variety of species including Harbor seals, Harbor porpoise, sea lions, Guadalupe fur seals, Northern elephant seals, Striped dolphins, Gray whales, Humpback whales, killer whales, sea turtles and Dall’s porpoise as well as other species. Our Gig Harbor headquarters is home to our federally authorized Marine Mammal Urgent Care and Triage Center and 24 hour holding facility where we are able to stabilize and treat critical marine mammal patients. We also provide emergency beach response, boat rescues on islands and hard to access shoreline, relocation and release of marine mammals as well as necropsies and disease investigations that are critically important to understanding the cause of mortality in marine species.

We need your help!

Please donate here to support World Vets Marine Mammal Program

Report an injured marine mammal- If you are in the state of Washington and see a sea lion, harbor seal, harbor porpoise or other marine mammal that is injured or in distress, please report it to the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network Hotline at 1-866-767-6114.

Marine mammals occasionally swim into derelict fishing gear or marine debris and get stuck, injured or even killed. To report an entangled whale in Washington, Oregon or California, please call: